Railroad-switch signal.



No. 893,730. PATENTEDJULY 21, 1908.

w. H. HARRIS.

RAILROAD SWITCH SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 16, 1907.

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AITOR/VEV WILLIAM HENRY HARRIS, OF STARK, MONTANA.

RAILROAD-SWITCH SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1908.

Application filed December 16, 1907. Serial No. 406,735.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HENRY HAR- RIS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Stark, in the county of Missoula and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Switch Signals, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of my invention is to notify an incoming train whether or not a switch has been left open, either by mistake or otherwise, and also by definite distinct signals to notify the engineer and train crew exactly which one of a number of switches has been left open.

With these and other objects in view for enhancing the value of railroad-switch sig nals, my invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter described and concisely claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I is a representation of my device for the attachments to be made to a railroad .switch and Fig. II is a section of switching still further illustrating the same.

Let us suppose the train wishes to sidetrack. The brakeman throws the switch lever 1 tothe space 2 in order that the train may enter from the main line 3 to the sidetrack 1. The spring 5 being attached to lever 1 will draw rod 6 to the right until the block 8 attached to rod 6 touches the fixed abutment 7. Rod 6- being drawn to the right will force metallic bar 9 into the knife edges 12, thus forming a circuit as follows:

Starting at knife edges 12 the current is conveyed through signals 17 by wire 16, thence through storage batteries or other source of power 15 by wire 18, thence to brush 19 insulated from frame 13, thence by rod 10 and 9 it returns to knife edges 12. If the switch is thrown to the left a similar danger signal is given. These devices are to be located at each main line switch or system of main line switches and by given different colored lights or signals placed in distinct positions a train and their crew are warned as to the particular switch that has been left open.

Having thus described my invention, the

following is what I claim is new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent.

1. In a system of the class described, the combination of an electrical supply, of a circuit connected thereto, having signals in said circuit and knife edge means for closing said circuit, actuated by a bell crank lever and a rod attached thereto, said rod connecting to the device for opening or closing the railroad switch by means of a spring, and attached to said rod a block fitting loosely within a fixed incasement.

2. In a system of the class described, the combination of an electrical supply, of a circuit connected thereto, having signals in said circuit and means for closing said ,circuit, actuated by a rod attached to the deyice for opening or closing the railroad switch, said rod connected to said opening or closing device by means of a spring and attached to said rod a block fitting loosely within a fixed incasement.

3. In a system of the class described, the

combination of an electrical supply of a num-- ber of circuits connected thereto, having signals in said circuits and means for closing said circuits, actuated by rod attached to the device for opening or closing the railroad switch, said rod connected to said opening or closing device by means of a spring, and attached to said rod a block fitting loosely within a fixed incasement.

WILLIAM HENRY HARRIS. Witnesses:

GEORGE Fox, CHARLES L. F. KELLOGG. 

